8 Channel Ku/CDL Band Tx Beamforming IC

RFMW announces design and sales support for a beamforming IC from Renesas. The F6521S is an 8-channel transmit, active beamforming RFIC designed for applications in Ku-Band (13.75 to 14.5 GHz) SATCOM planar phased array antennas. The IC has a single common RF input port and eight independently controlled output channels to drive eight single-polarized elements or four dual-polarized elements of an electronically scanned array (ESA). Each channel has 6-bits of digital phase control covering 360° and 25 dB of gain control with a minimum step size of 0.2 dB, enabling precise beam pattern and polarization control. Operating from a single supply of 2.1–2.5V, the F6521S has 28 dB of nominal small signal gain with a typical P1dB of 10.5 dBm per channel.